Gum disease is common, usually painless in its early stages, and often noticed first when the gums bleed while brushing. People search for how to "get rid of" gum disease, but what is achievable depends on how far it has progressed. This guide explains how gum disease is assessed, what professional treatment does, and what daily care and maintenance look like.
Key point: gingivitis — bleeding, swollen gums without bone loss — can usually be reversed. Periodontitis, where the bone supporting the teeth is damaged, is generally managed rather than cured, with ongoing maintenance to stop it progressing.
Step 1: Assessment
Gum disease cannot be treated effectively without knowing its extent. A gum assessment typically includes:
- Measuring pocket depths around each tooth with a periodontal probe
- Checking for bleeding on probing
- Recording gum recession and tooth mobility
- X-rays to assess the bone level around the roots
- Reviewing your medical history, smoking status and medicines that affect the gums
- Discussing how you clean and any factors that make cleaning harder
The findings determine whether you need a routine clean, a deep clean, referral to a periodontist, or a period of improved home care before treatment. Our periodontal care page explains what a gum assessment at our clinic involves.
Step 2: Professional treatment
Routine cleaning
For healthy gums, a scale and clean removes plaque and tartar above and just below the gum line. For more on what happens at a check-up and clean, see our check-up and clean page.
Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing)
Where pockets have formed, the plaque and calculus below the gum line and on the roots are removed, usually with local anaesthetic and often one section of the mouth at a time. The aim is to reduce inflammation and allow the gums to heal and reattach where possible. Some people need more than one appointment.
Other treatment
Some cases need additional care — for example, extractions for a tooth that cannot be saved, gum surgery, or referral to a specialist. Your dentist will explain why if this applies to you.
Step 3: Daily plaque control
Professional treatment removes what you cannot reach, but plaque reforms within a day. Home care is what keeps the gums stable between visits.
- Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, including along the gum line
- Clean between the teeth once a day with floss or interdental brushes
- Use a soft-bristled brush and replace it when worn
- Clean around crowns, bridges and gaps carefully — these areas trap plaque
- Ask about quitting smoking, which slows healing and increases gum disease risk
- Let your dentist know about diabetes and medicines that can affect the gums
Step 4: Ongoing maintenance
After treatment, people with a history of periodontitis usually need more frequent reviews and maintenance cleaning than the standard six-monthly visit. Your dentist will recommend an interval based on how your gums respond. Skipping maintenance is one of the main reasons gum disease returns. Regular general dental care helps keep both gums and teeth monitored.
When to make an appointment
Book an assessment if your gums bleed when brushing or flossing, look red or puffy, feel tender, or if your teeth look longer, feel loose, or you have persistent bad breath. Our guide to gum disease signs covers what to look for.
Bleeding or tender gums?
A gum assessment measures what is happening and explains whether a routine clean, deep clean or referral is appropriate.
Related: periodontal care, general dentistry, signs of gum disease, deep cleaning explained.